Cook, Nelson Henry
2645 Private Nelson Henry Cook - 48th Battalion AIF
Nelson Henry Cook was born 7th December 1892 to John and Alice Cook. He was one of eleven siblings with; James, 1885, Thomas 1886, Levena 1887, Rebecca 1889, Angelleta 1891, Levi 1895, Edward 1897, Evelyn 1899, Phyllis 1901 and Raymond 1903.
The family lived in South Street Fremantle and Nelson was educated here. His father ran a Grocery store and Nelson initially worked there. The family also had a farm/market garden in North Lake Road.
After working on his family place for a few years after leaving school, Nelson went to the countryside where he was employed as a teamster.
On the 17th June 1915 Nelson enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was passed as fit by the medical officer who recorded Nelson's physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 9 inches tall;
Weight - 171lbs;
Chest Measurement - 34-36 inches;
Complexion - Fair;
Eyes - Brown;
Hair - Brown.
After his successful enlistment Nelson was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the 8th Reinforcements to the 16th Battalion AIF. He trained with this group in WA over the next two months.
On the 2nd September 1915 Nelson and his group received their departure orders, so they entrained to Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Anchises. The ship then set sail for Egypt, arriving there towards the end of the month.
nelson did not have long in Egypt as the men were sent on to Gallipoli. Nelson was taken on strength of the 16th Battalion at Gallipoli on the 23rd October 1915. When he arrived at Gallipoli Nelson would have found the wintry conditions and snow falling on the battlefield. He was taken on strength of "C" Company.
Evacuations plans were now underway to evacuated the battlefield so Nelson had around two months on the Gallipoli battlfield.
The 16th Battalion was split up into different sections over the final two days with the battalion reducing their numbers gradually. Nelson was part of the "C" Company group that left Gallipoli at 520pm on the 19th December 1915. The evacuation of the Anzac battlefield would be completed in the early hours of December 20th 1915.
The 16th Battalion were then gathered on Lemnos Island before being sent back to Egypt in January 1916. Nelson and his unit then commenced on further training.
With the expansion of the AIF, Nelson's 16th Battalion, 4th Brigade now became part of the 4th Australian Division. In early April 1916 Nelson fell ill and was sent to the 1st Australian Stationary Hospital at Heliopolis where he was diagnosed as suffering from venereal disease. He was in hospital for the next few weeks, but when he was released on the 26th April 1916 he found that he had been reassigned to the 48th Battalion.
He trained with the 48th Battalion through May 1916. They then received their departure orders and went to Alexandria where they boarded a troopship on the 2nd June 1916. The ship then set sail for France, arriving at Marseilles on the 9th June 1916.
After arriving at Marseilles, the men were entrained north for the Armentieres region. They had their first experience of the Western Front in this sector but after a few weeks were then sent to the Somme battlefield.
Nelson and the 48th Battalion went into the line at Pozieres in the first week of August 1916. The immediately faced a German counter attack and also participated in further action around Mouquet Farm later in the month. Nelson came through physically unscathed.
In September 1916 Nelson and his unit were sent to Belgium where they held the front line near Ypres for around six weeks. They then returned to the Somme battlefield where they would spent the freezing cold 1916/17 French winter.
Nelson was fortunate as he had a break from the front line in December 1916 when he was granted a fortnight's leave to the UK. He must have been enjoying the leave too much as he overstayed by a day for which he was punished by being fined seven days pay.
After returning to France on Christmas Day 1916 he was sent to the 4th Australian Division Base Depot, eventually rejoining the 48th Battalion on the 5th January 1917.
The 48th battalion were still in the front line area of the Somme near Flers and Delville Wood.
In March 1917 the Germans began their withdrawal to their pre-prepared defensive position known as the Hindenburg Line. The Australian and British units pressed their withdrawal all the way and several sharp actions occurred before the Germans reached their defensive barrier.
On the 11th April 1917 the 48th Battalion was one of the units assigned to break the German line at Bullecourt. During the advance to the line Nelson was hit in the shoulder by shrapnel. He was taken to the Field Ambulance where his wound was initially treated and he was then sent to the 56th Casualty Clearing Station. From there Nelson was sent by hospital train to Rouen where he was admitted to the 6th General Hospital.
Nelson's wound was found to be not as severe as first thought and after treatment he was sent to No.2 Convalescent Depot at Rouen. He spent ten days there and was then transferred to the French village called Buchy where he was then admitted to No.11 Convalescent Depot.
Nelson remained there for the next month while his wound healed. He then rejoined the 48th Battalion on the 28th May 1917.
Nelson rejoined his unit in time to join them in action at Messines. The main action was fought at Messines from June 7th to 11th 1917 and the 48th Battalion were in the thick of the action. They remained in this sector till August 1917 and Nelson came through safely.
In September 1917 the 48th battalion moved to Ypres in Belgium where they would take part in the Offensive taking place there. On September 26th 1917 they were in action around Polygon Wood and then saw further action around Broodseinde Ridge and Passchedaele.
On October 12th 1917 the 48th battalion attacked towards Passchendaele. But due to unsupported flanks and muddy conditions, the attack was not a success though casualties in the unit were very heavy.
During the attack on the 12th October Nelson was shot in the leg. After initial treatment at the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance he was set to the Casualty Clearing Station and then was sent to the French village of Rouen where he was admitted to the 1st Australian General Hospital. Nelson spent six days here and on the 18th October 1917 was then transferred to England.
On arrival in England Nelson was sent by hospital train to Bristol where he was admitted to the Beaufort War Hospital. Nelson would remain there for the next three months, undergoing operations and treatment. On the 24th January 1918 he was transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford.
Nelson only spent four days there and was then granted a two week furlough from the 28th January to 11th February 1918. He was then sent to No.3 Command Depot Camp at Hurdcott. He remained there till the 20th April 1918 when he transferred to the Overseas Training Brigade Camp at Longbridge Deverell.
On the 15th May 1918 Nelson returned to France and was taken back on strength of the 48th Battalion on the 23rd May 1918.
When he rejoined them the 48th Battalion were in the vicinity of Villers-Bretonneux and Hamel just near the Somme River. They were in this vicinity till 8th August 1918 when the great advance commenced. The 48th Battalion took their objectives on August 8th and were then in action till the 18th September 1918. Nelson had come through this time unscathed and the 48th Battalion were then pulled out of the line for a well deserved rest period.
They were about to return to the line in November 1918 when the Armistice was announced. Instead, the Australians were sent into what had been German occupied parts of Belgium and France.
On the 29th November 1918 Nelson was given a two week furlough to England, returning on the 21st December 1918. He only had two more weeks in France as on the 9th January 1919 Nelson returned to England in preparation of returning home.
On arrival in England Nelson was sent to No.1 Command Depot Camp at Sutton Veny. He would remain here waiting to be assigned a berth on a troopship home. On the 28th February 1919 he boarded the troopship Anchises and set sail for home, disembarking in Albany on the 7th April 1919.
He then entrained north for Fremantle and a medical checkup at No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle.
Nelson was discharged from the AIF on the 3rd June 1919.
He then returned home and worked at the family property in North Lake Road. In 1931 Nelson moved to 46 Curedale Street Beaconsfield (later renumbered to 32 Curedale Street)
Nelson lived here through to the 1940's. He then moved to 274 High Street Fremantle (property no longer exists due to road extensions). In the 1960's he moved to 46 Lefroy Road and then 130 Lefroy road Beaconsfield.
In 1972 Nelson moved to Nazareth House in Coolbelup. He died on the 27th August 1975, aged 82. He was cremated at Fremantle Cemetery.